Emerald Ash Borer discovered for first time in Itasca County; Emergency quarantine in place

Itasca County EAB Emergency Quarantine 07/23/2025

(Minnesota Department of Agriculture)

ITASCA COUNTY, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) in Itasca County for the first time.

A suspected EAB infestation was reported by a homeowner on Pokegama Lake, south of Grand Rapids.

Because this is the first time EAB has been identified in Itasca County, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is enacting an emergency quarantine of the southeastern portion of the county.

The area includes all of Grand Rapids, Cohasset and Marble.

The exact quarantine boundaries can be found on THIS MAP.

The quarantine limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area.

There are now 59 counties in the state, including Itasca, with EAB.

The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk.

Often, the trees show several signs of infestation because of this. Woodpeckers like to feed on EAB larvae, and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of emerald ash borer.

EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009.

Adult emerald ash borers have a bright metallic red back (dorsal).

(Photo by David Cappaert, Bugwood.org)

A virtual informational meeting for residents and tree care professionals in Itasca County will be held with experts from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Staff will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.

Emerald Ash Borer Virtual Informational Meeting:
Tuesday, July 29, 2024
10–11 a.m.
Register at https://www.mda.state.mn.us/emerald-ash-borer-quarantine

The public will also have an opportunity to provide input on the proposal to add Itasca County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through September 5, 2025, and recommends adopting the quarantine on September 8, 2025.

The proposed quarantine language can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.